It was just a disaster. The reason Smart-Pig.com is different he says is because it cares about the people it lends money to. As well as running a series of competitions with monetary prizes, a main feature of the company is the 10-day grace period it offers to those whose official payments are delayed. He said: I was slapped with lots of extra fees when I missed my repayment I really could have done with 10 days to resolve that hiccup without incurring a charge. Despite graduating in law, 24-year-old Shreiffs entrepreneurial flare was evident from an early age when he picked up trinkets from markets on family holidays to Morocco and sold them online for a profit on his return. He said: It was a little hobby and a lot of fun but it really set the business side of me going. Now two years old, Smart-Pig is going from strength to strength. Employing three members of staff from its base in Clarendon Place, Leamington, the company currently loans to nearly 7,000 students at 100 universities. <br>Source: <a href='http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/smart-pigcom-start-up-student-loans-company-6923546' >http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/smart-pigcom-start-up-student-loans-company-6923546</a>
The $1.1 Trillion Student Debt Burden Is Paralyzing a Generation
But, like the roughly 37 million others in the U.S. saddled with $1 trillion in student debt, they may never catch up with wealthy peers who began life after college free from the burden. The disparity, experts say, is contributing to the widening of the gap between rich and everyone else in the country. If you graduate with a B.A. or doctorate and you get the same job at the same place, you make the same amount of money, said William Elliott III, director of the Assets view website and Education Initiative at the University of Kansas. But that money will actually mean less to you in the sense of accumulating assets in the long term. Graduates who can immediately begin building equity in housing or stocks and bonds get more time to see their investments grow, while indebted graduates spend years paying principal and interest on loans. <br>Source: <a href='http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/April-Issue-1-2014-1/1-trillion-student-loan-debt-widens-US-wealth-gap/' >http://www.alaskajournal.com/Alaska-Journal-of-Commerce/April-Issue-1-2014-1/1-trillion-student-loan-debt-widens-US-wealth-gap/</a>
Take advantage of this little-known tax"loophole" Recent tax increaseshave affected nearly every American taxpayer. But with the right planning, you can take steps to take control of your taxes and potentially even lower your tax bill. In our brand-new special report " The IRS Is Daring You to Make This Investment Now! ," you'll learn about the simple strategyto take advantage of a little-known IRS rule. Don't miss out onadvice that could helpyou cut taxes for decades to come. Click here to learn more. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . <br>Source: <a href='http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/04/05/the-11-trillion-student-debt-burden-is-paralyzing.aspx' >http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/04/05/the-11-trillion-student-debt-burden-is-paralyzing.aspx</a>
3 Dumb Student Loan Myths That Can Bankrupt Smart Borrowers – Forbes
One proposal that could be done quickly is to allow those with student debt to refinance at a much lower rate than they have now. With interest rates hovering slightly above zero, lowering the debt rates is an option that still allows the loan-providers to retain a profit. Other reforms would include cracking down on loans directed to colleges, particularly for-profit institutions, that have a low graduation rate or poor job-seeking rates for students. We want those who have student debt to pay off the loans. To forgive the debt is not an ethical solution. <br>Source: <a href='http://www.standard.net/stories/2014/04/03/our-view-student-loan-debt-harms-futures' >http://www.standard.net/stories/2014/04/03/our-view-student-loan-debt-harms-futures</a>
Loan debt from bad schools haunts former students – baltimoresun.com
But the student loan debt from her noneducation haunts her to this day. Her wages have been garnished, her tax refunds seized. Those payments total more than $13,500 on a loan that was originally $5,600, according to the Reisterstown woman's pro bono attorney, thanks to interest and collections fees that mounted for years. And the school? It closed long ago, and its CEO pleaded guilty to defrauding the government and students by concealing its dropout rate so federal student aid kept flowing. <br>Source: <a href='http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-student-loan-debt-trade-schools-20140406,0,6952592.story' >http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-student-loan-debt-trade-schools-20140406,0,6952592.story</a>
Our View: Student loan debt harms futures
These are programs designed to eliminate your student loan debt for free. And its been estimated that roughly 50% of borrowers can qualify for some type of student loan forgiveness program. You just have to look. The most common student loan forgiveness programs are students who pursue the following careers: The Military Volunteer Work Medical Workers If youre considering entering these fields, see what programs you could qualify for. Even partial student loan forgiveness is free money. <br>Source: <a href='http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertfarrington/2014/04/04/3-dumb-student-loan-myths-that-can-bankrupt-smart-borrowers/' >http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertfarrington/2014/04/04/3-dumb-student-loan-myths-that-can-bankrupt-smart-borrowers/</a>